Anderson women deal MOC second conference loss of season

Its confidence shaken and team chemistry absent, injury-riddled Mount Olive College continues to seek consistency on the basketball court this season.

The distress is building.

"It was a very frustrating game for us from a lot of different perspectives," said MOC head women's basketball coach Wendy Lee. "Just getting the right things to happen at the right times is difficult for us right now. Add in consistency and good leadership ... getting it all to come together is taking a little bit longer than you want it to do.

"I think it's in the future."

But it's not here ... yet.

Defending Conference Carolinas champion Anderson (S.C.) University used a game-ending 21-10 run to secure a 67-53 victory Saturday afternoon inside Kornegay Arena. The visiting Trojans (6-4 overall) remained unbeaten in five league outings this season and handed the host Trojans their second consecutive conference defeat.

Mount Olive (4-6, 3-2 CC) misfired on its first nine possessions during the opening five minutes of the second half. Anderson turned its 35-30 halftime advantage into a 44-30 cushion.

Laporsha Davis stopped the run with a 3-pointer off Shequanta McGee's assist, and the outside shot started a 13-2 run for the Trojans. Davis and Helen Moore combined for three baskets before Andrea Jones capped the surge with a 3-pointer.

MOC managed just two free throws the next four minutes.

Anderson boosted its lead to 53-43 with 8:39 left in regulation and maintained a two-possession advantage the rest of the way. The Trojans, who qualified for NCAA Division II Southeast Regional last season, picked up their 17th win in 23 meetings against MOC since 1999,

"Today was not our best game, but we played a good team," said Lee. "They're playing with a lot of confidence and we're not. Whatever they ran, it seemed to be good. It was more there players playing with confidence on the offensive end of the floor.

"They've been playing with the same lineup and rotation, and I think that chemistry builds a lot of stability. They know they can get points from different players ... don't have to count on one kid."

Lee said her team doesn't have that luxury right now.

Brittany Miller returned to MOC's starting lineup after an extended illness, but six players remained in street clothes on the bench. Miller scored four points and grabbed three rebounds in 20 minutes.

Moore pumped in 19 points, while freshman Andrea Jones scored 16 points and blocked a career-best five shots off the bench. Davis chipped in 12 points, while the foul-plagued McGee didn't scratch in the scoring column.